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Anishinabek Discovery Centre gets another $5.1 M

Darrell Boissoneau, of the Shingwauk Education Trust and Sault MP Terry Sheehan talk at the site of the new Anishinabek Discovery Centre currently under construction. The centre has received a total of $10.2 million in federal government funding.

Darrell Boissoneau was quite pleased when the Shingwauk Education Trust received $5.1 million last October to put towards its Anishinabek Discovery Centre.

And at the urging of a federal cabinet minister last year, Boissoneau and his team submitted a second application.

His dream came true Friday when Sault MP Terry Sheehan announced on behalf of Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains that the Anishinabek Discovery Centre would be receiving another $5.1 million, bringing federal government support to $10.2 million.

The 20,000 square-foot, two-storey lodge style building is currently under construction on the south side of Queen Street, across from Algoma Uiveristy.

“We are all proud of this achievement,” Boissoneau told a large crowd who had gathered for the announcement. “People worldwide will come here to learn.”

The LEED-certified building will serve to preserve, promote and share First Nation History. It will also be the centre of a National Chiefs Library – the first of its kind in Canada. It will be run by First Nations for research, assist in archival and records management services and operate as an online research centre. Physical original documents would be disseminated digitally.

The new space will also allow for the integration of the Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig into the National Chiefs Library.

Boissoneau said as a result of an educational partnership, the centre will also serve as a home base for the Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig, an evolving and developing university that offers a four-year Bachelor of Arts degree in Anishinaabe studies through Algoma University.

Sheehan said the money will result in about 165 construction jobs throughout the project and 10-15 full time jobs when the centre opens.

“The minister understands the significance of this project and what it would do for healing and moving forward,” he said. “With our continued lobbying, he saw the significance of this project for the community and for this nation. It represents everything this government is trying to do with healing and growth.”

With the importance of education highlighted in the Truth and Reconciliation Report, Sheehan said he’s proud that recommendation is starting in Sault Ste. Marie with the centre.

“You have filled the hearts of our people, especially the children whom we love,” Boissoneau said.

Mayor Christian Provenzano called the day an important one for the community and the Shingwauk Education Trust.

“I believe we can be a national leader on the Truth and Reconciliation journey,” he said, noting the city’s history, location and strong traditional culture.

Celia Ross, acting president of Algoma University, said the project is a huge step in the partnership between the university and the Shingwauk Education Trust.

The program offers the only Anishinaabe language program in Canada and courses in Anishinaabe studies under the degree granting authority of the university.

“We’ve been developing capacity together that way,” she said.

Students will benefit from the culturally different classes, faculty numbers are growing and the school will have its own space to grow, she said.

In addition, the National Chiefs Library will become a big part of the library, with a collection of national significance and anchored in partnership with survivors.

“We’re going to have archives from political developments on our shared site from the Assembly of First Nations and other groups across the generations so we can also make those archives available across the country and have people come here to study,” Ross said. “This is a huge added resource ... As partners we are doing something of national significance that’s clearly under the authority and jurisdiction of First Nations.”